Author Archives: michael

Suez Crisis, Part II

I noticed a story in today’s local paper about Britain wanting to increase its naval presence in the Persian Gulf. I immediately thought that the Persian Gulf was quite a long way from the mist-shrouded shores of Great Britain.

Posted in Peace, Politics | Leave a comment

Review of ‘The Reader’

I just saw this 2008 film, which won an Best Actress Oscar for Kate Winslet. It is an unusual film in that it combines two things that are not commonly connected: the issues of illiteracy and of German guilt over the Holocaust.

Posted in Dyslexia, Germany, Peace | Leave a comment

My visit to Halifax, NS

Ontario always was the ‘have-province,’ while Nova Scotia was the ‘have-not.’ Now it looks like if you want to enjoy a charmed life, you might want to consider living in Halifax.

Posted in Cities, Design, Hamilton, Ontario | Leave a comment

Music Theory Guy

A reply to an email I received from the Music Theory Guy, an English music teacher in a London secondary school who believes that music students should have a firm grounding in music theory.

Posted in Music, Self expression | Leave a comment

The Coroner Takes an Interest in Cycling

Recently there was a interesting twist to the debate over cycling in Ontario. The provincial coroner will now examine the public health issues of cycling fatalities in the province.

Posted in Cycling | 1 Comment

Ben and Biking

Today our son Ben had the realization that he has a huge, yet brand-new, interest in road biking.

Posted in Child-rearing, Cycling | Leave a comment

Portion size: American vs Dutch

In the USA the pattern for food portion size is ‘more is more.’ In the Netherlands it is ‘less is more.’ As someone who watches his weight, I have come to appreciate the Dutch approach.

Posted in Food, Pittsburgh, The Netherlands | Leave a comment

LRT and Hamilton’s industrial future

In the LRT debate not only the appeal of various technical solutions are at issue but it is also a visioning exercise that involves the psyche of the whole city. What does Hamilton want to become?

Posted in Cities, Design, Hamilton, Pittsburgh, Politics | 1 Comment

Political effort and our happiness

I think about politicians who promote reactionary ‘solutions.’ Are they following their own political ideology? Certainly. But another explanation is that maybe they’re just being lazy.

Posted in Design, Politics | 1 Comment

Swimming and singing

Two things that currently give me great pleasure are swimming and singing. I am a beginner singer but an experienced swimmer. Both of these activities are life-affirming and fun. Both require practice and take years to master. I have learned that both depend critically on learning how to breathe properly.

Posted in Hamilton, Self expression | Leave a comment